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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · kick · bowl · rush · bass · stand · fall · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. kick — in football
  3. fall — the season
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com